Body Jerks - Page 4

robigibou · 11-29-2007, 09:32 AM

lisa, another thing to check out is a thing called hypnagogic jerks or hypnagogia. I have these all the time. It feels like they come on right as I am between the point of being awake and falling asleep. Your husband has nothing to fear, because they are just annoying, not harmful. My wife just calls me names and goes back to sleep, and I'm awake again for several hours. However, that being said, I do not seem to have these jerks when I take benzos before bed, and I am trying to really slow down on them. Take care, and good luck.

Director · 11-29-2007, 02:57 PM

The problem we have and that Lisa is experiencing is not just when you're falling asleep. This is a condition where the body jerking continues all night long. You usually aren't aware you are doing it, but in my case, I have kept my wife awake a good part of the night. There have been a few times she's asked me to move to the second bedroom or she does herself.

I had a suggestion from someone on another board. At bedtime, I take 10 mg Ambien, 2 mg Klonopin, and 50 mg Elavil. He suggested I dc the Elavil. I cut the 50 in half last night and although I woke up at 4:00 AM (normally get up at 5:45), it wasn't too bad of a night. I'm going to try to go off and then ask my wife how the jerks have been. I want to see if this is playing into the whole body jerking thing. In my case, taking 180 mg of Methadone a day, is more than likely the source of the problem. Just as in Lisa's case the Tramadol she takes is the cause.

slipperyslope · 11-29-2007, 04:14 PM

Hey Lisa, I have never heard of anyone taking 25 tramadols a day. It is so dangerous as you know as this causes major seizures. you are going to need to taper off them slowly as I have heard the W/D'S are horrible and painful. the max dose for these are 400 mgs per day, which is 8 tablets. Does your Dr know how many your taking? Since no Dr would prescribe this many, how are you getting so many, and are you running out of your RX early every month? You must get sick off them. I have never understood why anyone takes this drug as it doesn't give that " buzz" most people are wanting of a narcotic. Do you get that europhoric buzz off them? I have never felt anything from them, they never even helped my pain. They are now going to be considered an opiate as for the last several years they were called a non opiate medication, but that is not the case.

I hope you can find some help, you REALLY need the help of an MD to so this safely and correctly as you can have another seizure or get very sick from stopping cold turkey. There are many meds a Dr can give you so your W/D'S are not as bad. I sure wouldn't want to deal with these body jerks all night long just to get a buzz off a pill. IT CAN'T FEEL GOOD, jerking like that and its not fair to your bed partner. think of him too, I would not want to sleep with someone that jerked all night because they were abusing there medications. Its one thing if you can't help it, but you can, and your drug abuse is disturbing your bed mate and making him scared. this is not fair. Please get some help. you keep saying you want help but you havn't said anything about what your plan is and how your going to stop these pills. You need a plan and the help of a DR...

Good luck, SS

Director · 11-29-2007, 05:45 PM

Hey slipperyslope...I agree, Lisa is taking way too many Tramadols a day, but the body jerks may be caused from the medication, but it's something you can't control. I'm on Methadone and I get them too and I don't exceed the prescribed dose. I was on Oxycontin and Fentanyl patches and didn't have them, so it's got to be the medication I'm on now. There is a possiblity, it's from my night time medication of Ambien, 10 mg, Klonopin, 2 mg, and Elavil, 25 mg. I just started weaning down from 50 mg on the Elavil last night.

So yes, she needs to quit abusing the medication, but the Myclonic Body Jerks she's experiencing may be present if she was at 8 tabs (400 mg) a day. I have "talked" with several people who get them and are taking their meds as prescribed.

For what it's worth, I have never had a buzz from Tramadol either and pain relief was nil. This was several years ago and I don't even remember what the dosage was when I was on them.